Personal reflection: term 2, week 1

Jeezo, who would have thought I'd have so much to write about only one week in? It was an exciting week so I'll write about the two main things:


Directing workshop with Kenneth Glenaan

Out of nowhere I was asked if I could step in as boom op for this workshop; not one to turn down an opportunity I said yes.

On one side I absorbed a lot about direction through what he was teaching the actors - techniques to raise energy, how to coax a performance out, what looks good on camera and what looks cheesy. He actually trained as an actor which probably gives him an edge; I know I tap into my own experiences acting and being directed (by both geniuses and morons) when I direct.

Also, though, I had a go at boom-op'ing. For some of the scenes it was no more challenging than finding an edge and staying there but one of the scenes we did was exhausting. Any sane sound recordist would have used radio mics but since it was just me and we had neither the skills nor the kit to hand (Graeme was in class) I had to run and dance with the boom, keeping it out of shot but not too far away while the actors and camera moved freely.

Most of the 9 takes I failed at this at one point or another but I'm proud to say that on the last one I kept out - it involved a lot of running, a lot of lifting and the utmost concentration. It also took a moment where I had to explain to Kenny that actually a shorter boom would work better, contrary to his proposition. It's a funny thing - I'm sometimes too concerned with respect and politeness but there are definitely times when one needs to stand one's ground (though I did do it with respect and politeness, obviously).

Principles of directing with Zam Salim

Zam is great. Very engaging, very knowledgable and his classes were fun. The first day we basically just watched films, or at least little bits of films. Aside from anything else it was interesting to see what people picked - some I'd seen before and I enjoyed the repeat, some I'd never seen and would be interested in seeing soon. One I would really like to never see ever. I got to introduce people to In the Mood for Love which is a beautiful film and which got a lot of interest from people wanting to see it.

A lot of what we covered in class was high falutin', pondering stuff - creative vision, the qualities of leadership, one word feelings - but it was also deeply practical. I love the more philosophical end because I do think it makes a difference to the finished product and can make the difference between a well made film and a good film.

It was fun to do some storyboarding on Friday, and rather reassuring to see that while Ridley Scott might draw exquisite boards which look like the development stage of a comic book, directors as great as Martin Scorsese drew crude diagrams.

"Bad storyboards are good storyboards."

And now off I go to do some props sourcing...